Runaways
by christmasinacup
Summary: Jai's death has rocked the CIA, and everyone is on edge. When a lead on his murder comes up, Annie, Auggie, Joan, and Arthur do all they can to discover Jai's killer and the reason behind this horrible tragedy. Some Arthur/Joan.
1. The Gala

I started this before Annie got traded back to the DPD… wanted to start publishing it before everything goes down, but basically this is based on my predictions of who is behind Jai's death. Hopefully I will post a chapter a week or so... please enjoy & review!

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It was a regular Wednesday morning in the DPD. Joan had just given an assignment in Kenya to one of her new operatives, Michelle. Michelle was no Annie Walker, but she did know several uncommon African dialects, and she was a good operative. Joan was about to take a coffee break, maybe go visit Auggie, when Arthur walked through her door, holding something behind his back. She smiled and stood up, walking around her desk.

"Hey," she greeted him, her eyes sparkling. "What are you doing here?"

Arthur grinned and closed her office door behind him. He kissed her on the cheek and then pulled a garment bag from behind his back. She looked at him, puzzled.

"What's this?"

"I have a special assignment for you. Top secret," Arthur said with a wink, taking her hand and sitting her down on the couch. He hung the garment bag on the coatrack next to her desk and then sat down next to her. Joan was confused.

"The State Department is having a gala of sorts to honor Jai, seeing as how that was his cover. I need you and Auggie there."

"Why can't you go?"

"Remember when I punched Steve Barr? Apparently he's the type to hold a grudge," Arthur said, smiling. "I wonder if I broke his nose. He wouldn't tell me when I called."

Joan laughed and took his hands in hers. "So, what are Auggie and I doing at this gala, besides looking fabulous and getting to spend time together after _someone _took him out of my division?"

Arthur ignored the last part and looked her straight in the eye. "I think whoever killed Jai will be there. Someone bold enough to plant a car bomb in broad daylight would definitely like to observe the damage."

Joan's grey-blue eyes widened. "Are you sure? That's pretty risky."

Arthur shook his head. "You want risky? Henry Wilcox will be there. He's getting a special 24-hour pass. With a security guard, of course, but Henry's a weasel."

"So you want me and Auggie to keep an eye on Henry and pick out some possible suspects? Observe the anomalies?"

"Unfortunately, I don't think our guy is an anomaly," Arthur sighed. He tucked a loose strand of blonde hair behind Joan's ear. "I think there a pretty good chance he's more assimilated in our world than we think."

"What makes you think that?" Joan asked, worriedly. Arthur looked uneasy. He squeezed Joan's hands.

"I have to tell you something," he said slowly. She nodded. "Auggie didn't just take over Jai's job. He's helping me dig into what got Jai killed in the first place."

"That's why you transferred him?," Joan asked. She was surprised. It wasn't like she had had a theory, or anything, but... why couldn't Arthur have told her sooner?

"Yes. I trust him the most besides you in this place, and trust is hard to come by these days," Arthur said.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?," Joan asked gently. "I'm not mad, but… wait. Please tell me it's not the usual "I want to protect you from the line of fire" excuse."

Arthur nodded. "Nailed it. Joan, it's not because I don't think you can handle it. You're a brilliant spy, and incredibly intelligent and tough. I'm just selfish, and scared to lose you."

"Oh, honey," Joan said, putting her hand on Arthur's cheek. "I promise, I'll be okay. You're not going to lose me."

"I almost did once," Arthur reminded, scooting closer to her on the couch. She nodded and shifted into his lap.

"Yes, but that was '98. I was younger, and less experienced. Everyone needs to have those kinds of close calls to gain perspective in this job."

"And Lena Smith needs to be less cocky and overly confident when it comes to her supposed partner," Arthur griped, frowning.

"It wasn't her fault. I may not agree with Lena, or like her at all, but it was as much my mistake as hers."

"I don't care. I hate how she abandoned you. And you how your boss continued to put you together for months after."

"It doesn't matter now, it's in the past," Joan said, kissing him. She grinned. "So do I get to see the fabulous gown I assume is in that bag now?"

Arthur nodded and chuckled. "Go for it."

Joan stood up and walked over to the coatrack. She unzipped the bag and had her breath immediately taken away by the silky blue fabric.

"Arthur, this is exquisite."

She pulled out the sleeveless Elie Saab gown and held it against her body. She closed her eyes and twirled. "Wow."

He smiled. "You look stunning."

"I'm not even wearing it yet!," Joan laughed, instantly transformed into a giddy little girl. It was like she was Cinderella, and Arthur was her handsome fairy god-husband. Or something.

"Doesn't matter," Arthur said, taking Joan's face in his hands and kissing her. She smiled.

"Sure you don't want to accompany me?"

"Oh, you know I would love to," Arthur said, kissing her again. "But the last thing we need is to make a scene, and if I come, Steve Barr will cause one."

Joan sighed and he kissed her one more time.

"I have to go read Auggie in," Arthur said, tearing himself away from Joan. "The gala is tomorrow night at 8, at the St. Regis hotel. I will have a car come to the house to pick you up, and you'll get Auggie on the way to the hotel."

"You got it. I'll make you proud," Joan promised. Arthur smiled and opened her office door.

"You always do."

xxxx

Joan sifted through her makeup drawer the next night, trying to decide on the right lipstick color. She settled on MAC's Capricious, gliding it over her lips. She puckered them and looked in the mirror. She had put her wavy blonde hair in a bun, with a few loose curls escaping artfully, framing her face. For makeup, she went with a simple gray smoky eye and of course, the MAC lipstick.

Arthur came up behind her, staring at her in the bathroom mirror and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"You look breathtakingly gorgeous."

She turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck. 'Thank you, darling. I'd kiss you, but…"

He chuckled and kissed her cheek. She smiled and then walked into their bedroom, sat on the bed, and slipped on her nude peep-toe stilettos.

"Okay, I'm not taking my phone, because Auggie will have his… my makeup is done, hair done…" she trailed off. "Am I missing anything? Oh, earrings!"

She stood and walked over to the dresser, opening a small purple jewelry box. Arthur's hand appeared in front of her, holding a small box. She looked at him.

"What's this?"

"Open it and see," he said, a mischievous grin on his lips. She smiled and opened the box to a find a beautiful pair of diamond chandelier earrings.

"Oh, Arthur…"

She slipped them into her ears and took out the gold hoops in her second piercings. They looked perfect with her hairstyle, and they brought out the sparkle in her eyes. Arthur smiled, very pleased with himself.

"Don't let anyone steal you away tonight," he said, holding her black coat out for her to slip into. She smiled and put the coat on, tying the belt.

"I promise that I'll come home to you," she said, placing a small kiss on Arthur's cheek. She took his face in her hands.

"We're gonna catch this guy, and when we do, he will pay for what he did," she said seriously. "He doesn't stand a chance in hell against us."

Arthur smiled. "Truer words have never been spoken," he said softly, tracing his finger down her cheekbone. He sighed.

"Okay, go, before I change my mind. The temptation is crueler than I expected."

Joan laughed and walked out of their bedroom door and downstairs. When she got to the porch, she saw the car Arthur ordered was already waiting. The driver was standing next to the back door, and when he saw her, he pulled it open. She smiled, thanked him, and slipped onto the cool leather seat.

After she told the driver Auggie's address, she stared at the window and took a deep breath. Joan was a damn good spy, she knew that. But something about tonight felt particularly dangerous and tricky. She knew the speculation Arthur was under for having a hand in Jai's death, and she knew it was likely that whoever killed Jai now had Auggie on their radar. And she couldn't lose Auggie. He was her best friend, her most trusted confidant, and the most honest man she knew.

The car stopped at Auggie's house and Joan went up to his apartment. She knocked on the door and seconds later it swung open, revealing Auggie's grinning face and warm brown eyes.

"Hey," Joan said, leaning in to hug him. She kissed his cheek and held him close for a few seconds longer than normal. Auggie chuckled.

"Your dress feels very nice… silk?"

Joan laughed and Auggie hooked his arm through the crook of hers. "Yes. Arthur bribed me with a very nice gown."

"Well, you look stunning – at least, I assume so – and I'm glad I'll be on your arm tonight," Auggie said with that boyish smile of his. They arrived at the car and Joan signaled for the driver to stay put, helping Auggie into the car so he wouldn't bump his head.

"Thank you, Auggie," Joan said, smiling. He grinned.

"I can hear you smiling," he said. Joan laughed and took his hand.

"Okay, so Arthur read you in, right?"

Auggie nodded. "Yes. Keep an eye on Henry – so to speak – and try to find out who killed Jai. Very covertly."

"Pretty much," Joan sighed, leaning her head on Auggie's shoulder. "I'm worried, Auggie. Not about our spying and detective skills, but about you. And Arthur. The two men I care about most are in a lot of danger right now, and I feel we are walking a very precarious line going to this gala tonight."

"It's going to be okay, Joan, I promise. If you need to calm the intensity, pretend it's a game. Like Scooby Doo. We're the meddling kids, just trying to uncover whoever it is under the mask."

Joan laughed. "Scooby Doo? Who does that make me?"

Auggie scoffed. "Daphne, of course. Hot, smart, and stylish? It's a no-brainer."

Joan just shook her head. "How do you know if I'm hot? I could be horrific-looking."

Auggie laughed again. "I've known you longer than I've been blind, remember? Plus, Arthur has good taste, and I hear how that one barista talks to you at the Starbucks kiosk."

"Tyler? Please," Joan said, shaking her head. "He's just scared of me because one time Conrad and I got in a fight in front of him and I threw coffee in his face. Conrad's, not Tyler's."

Auggie grinned. "I remember that. It was just a few months after my accident, and I was so sorry I missed it."

Joan laughed. "Oh, wait! If tonight is like Scooby Doo, are you Fred or Shaggy?"

"Fred," Auggie said, with an air of well-of-course. "Do I look like a hippie?"

"Well, you could use a haircut," Joan joked, running her hand through his hair. He laughed.

"Mrs. Campbell, we are here," the driver said, turning around from the front seat. Joan took Auggie's hand and they exited the car slowly. She looked at the hotel, with all the well-dresses guests milling around in the lobby and out front. With Auggie by her side, she navigated the way to the coat check, handing them her coat and Auggie's.

They made their way through the party, heading towards the bar. Joan made sure to walk slowly, surveying the whole party.

"Okay, tell me what you see," Auggie whispered in Joan's ear. She nodded, even though he couldn't see her.

"I see…. A toned guy who looks like one of Jai's squash buddies giving me "the nod"…." – Auggie laughed – "Steve Barr is glaring at me… and there's a tall, dark man standing next to Jai's picture." Auggie perked up.

"Okay, describe the scene."

Joan ordered a glass of chardonnay for herself and a glass of Scotch for Auggie. "There is a large, poster-sized picture of Jai, framed and sitting on a table. Under it, on the table, is a book that people are writing messages in. Most people are coming and going within 5 minutes, but this guy has been there for at least 15… he's flipping through the book, reading other people's messages…" Joan got an idea. "I'm going to stage a run-in."

"No, Joan," Auggie said firmly. He gripped her forearm. "It's too risky."

"How? I'm just a former colleague, paying my respects," Joan said with a twinkle in her eye.

"Fine," Auggie conceded, recognizing the tone of Joan's voice. She would do it whether he agreed or not. "But give it a few minutes."

She waited seven minutes and then handed her glass to Auggie and straightened her dress before tapping him to let him know she was leaving. She walked toward the table casually. The man moved slightly when he heard her coming, and she flipped to a blank page without looking at him. Joan twirled the pen in her hand for a few seconds before writing her message, knowing that the man would most likely read whatever she wrote.

_Jai: We at work all miss you very much. You were a wonderful, ambitious man, and it is sad to see your life end so soon. Thinking of you every day. – Joan_

She closed the book and capped the pen, glancing at the man. He was watching her, and not stealthily at all.

"How did you know Jai?," he asked. He had a slightly foreign accent Joan couldn't quite place. She smiled politely.

"Work. I was his boss, but he would have had my job in no time. He worked very hard," she said. It wasn't completely untrue, Jai had been as much of hard worker as he was a snake. He nodded.

"At the State Department, yes?"

She nodded. "That's right. How did you know him?" Joan pretended like she hadn't noticed him lurking around the table.

The man shook his head. "Oh, I didn't. His father and I were old business associates. I don't think I saw him after he was three."

Joan immediately knew he was lying. Until Jai was 5, he and his mother lived in a safe house in London. He was born in the US, but Henry had quickly hidden both Jai and his mother away for the first few years of his life, to keep him safe. It was the one admirable thing Henry had done for his son. And besides that, the man didn't look much older than Jai or Auggie. Unless Henry Wilcox did business with children, this man had most likely never even met Henry.

"Speaking of, have you seen his father? I want to pay my respects," Joan said sweetly. The man shook his head, as she expected him to.

"No, sorry. But it was lovely to meet you…"

She considered giving him a fake name for a moment, but she had signed her real name in the book and she knew many other people at the party, who could give her up by pure accident.

"Joan," she said, extended her hand to shake his. "And you are?"

"Alex," he said, shaking her hand. She made note of a small, diamond-shaped tattoo on his wrist when the cuff of his sleeve slid back. He kissed her hand before gently dropping it, then disappeared into the crowd. Joan processed what happened as she walked back to the bar to find Auggie. He turned when she was about a yard away.

"Joan?"

"Yes," she said, holding her arm out for him to take. She steered him past the table to the staircase, where a man was sitting a fancy baby grand piano, playing a soft melody. She pulled Auggie into a corner and lowered her voice to a whisper.

"He said his name is Alex, but it could be fake. Tall, dark complexion, short black hair, slightly foreign accent, diamond-shaped tattoo on his right wrist."

Auggie chuckled. "Nice work. Of course you had to strike up a conversation."

"He started it, actually," Joan said, smiling. "You get anything?"

"Just a few people at the bar gossiping about whether or not Henry would show up. A few sounded CIA. Foreign accent, huh? Asian, European…?"

"I don't know," Joan sighed. "I couldn't quite place it. A little Russian, maybe? Czech?"

Auggie smiled and turned Joan back to the noise of the party. "I have a plan."

An hour later, Auggie and Joan were standing at the bar again. Auggie's plan had been successful. Joan had noticed "Alex" lurking at the Jai memorial table again, so Auggie had pulled out his cane and found his way to the table. He had "accidently" bumped his cane into Alex's shin, and after an apology, he introduced himself as August and asked Thomas to write a message into the book for him. Joan still laughed when Auggie replayed the conversation for her.

"_Will you please write: Jai old buddy, it was fun playing squash with you. I'm gonna miss your wicked serve and sense of humor. Cheers, Auggie."_

"_Aren't you blind?"_

"_You saying a blind man can't play squash? I have a mean left backhand."_

"_Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean – "_

"_It's okay, man. Just do me a favor and try to be open minded, okay? The world is full of too many sight-ists."_

Auggie had recorded the whole thing on his phone, so they now had a sample of Alex's accent. Joan was trying to figure out their next move when she saw Henry Wilcox, in a clean suit and with a bodyguard on each side, walking to the bar. She squeezed Auggie's hand and traced the letters "HW" on his hand with her finger to silently alert him. He nodded and turned so his back was to Joan. Henry saw Joan and a sad, weary smile crept onto his face.

"Hello, Joan," he said to her. He turned to the bartender. "Scotch, neat."

"How are you, Henry?," Joan asked kindly. She hated the man, but he had just lost his son. For one night, he deserved to be treated like a human being.

"Like hell," he mumbled, turning back to her. "Did your husband tell you that people think _I_ had something to do with all this?"

"I heard some whispers," she said. "He has been missed."

Henry just frowned. "My son, Joan. I lost my only son. I have truly lost everything to this goddamned Agency." His scotch arrived and he threw half of it back in one gulp.

"Speaking of everything I hate, where's Arthur?," he asked.

"He couldn't make it," Joan said, trying to stay kind and polite. Henry scoffed.

"Hiding is more like it. The bastard came to visit me under the guise of paying respects, just to pester me to talk to the investigators about Jai."

Joan nodded. "Well, we are both very sorry for your loss."

Henry smiled wickedly. "But not enough to get me out of here, huh?," he asked, gesturing to the bodyguards right behind him. Joan shook her head.

"We feel terrible that you lost your son, but not that you are serving time. Make no mistake, what you did was horrible, and you need to pay the price."

Henry scoffed at her again and finished off his scotch. "As will Arthur, one day." He walked off, bodyguards on his tail.

Auggie turned back around, frowning. "Yuck. I never liked him."

"You're not alone," Joan said with disgust, signaling to the bartender for another glass of chardonnay. "Ughh, I don't think I can spend any more time here."

"Do we have enough intel for Athur?"

"I hope so. I've been checking out the party, watching all the guests, but only Thomas stood out. Then again, Arthur said our guy most likely wouldn't stand out. I don't want to let him down, but – "

"Hey," Auggie said, feeling for her hand and taking it. "Arthur just wants you to be safe. My guess is that he'd rather have you come up empty than push it and end up in a compromising position."

Joan smiled. "You're right. Wanna get out of here?"

"Yes," Auggie said. "Tavern?"

Joan grinned. "I'll take us to the coat check."

Joan finally got home a little after midnight. She and Auggie had officially taken themselves off the clock and had 3 rounds of beers before calling it a night. Their slightly unusual attire didn't raise any eyebrows at the bar, many of their fellow patrons were Agency men and women, and they knew the need for a cold drink after a tiring op. The only rule of the Tavern was: don't ask what division the others are from, or what their current assignment is. Pretend you don't know they're CIA, and it's all good.

She crept upstairs quietly, so as not to wake Arthur. She was glad to see he was asleep. She carefully slipped off her gown and laid it on the chair in the corner of the room, making sure not to wrinkle it. She removed her makeup, earrings, and undid her hair. Then she undid her strapless bra, carelessly tossing it onto the floor, and slipped into bed in just her nude lace panties, snuggling into Arthur's side. All it took was a few deep breaths and she was fast asleep.


	2. The Plan

I'm glad you guys enjoyed the first chapter! Here is part 2 :)

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Joan kept her eyes closed for a few minutes when she awoke the next morning. She often woke up disoriented after drinking, even if she wasn't completely hungover. Her head didn't hurt too much, so she knew the damage was minimal. When she finally cracked an eye open, she saw Arthur sitting next to her on the bed in his pajama pants, shirtless. He was sitting on top of the covers, watching her in that loving, protective way. She smiled.

"Heyy."

"Hey yourself," he said, smiling back and kissing her forehead. She shifted from her stomach to lie on her side.

"What time is it?"

"Doesn't matter. Unless there's a major crisis, I gave us the day off."

"Isn't there always some sort of crisis when we have the day off?"

Arthur sighed. "Yes, but let's not jinx it." He grinned. "So, I had a wonderful surprise when I woke up. This gorgeous blonde was in bed with me, practically naked."

"Oh?," Joan said with a little smile, winking at him. "How did that happen?"

"You know, I haven't the damndest idea," Arthur said, lying down on his side, facing her. "Her breath smelled a bit like beer, so maybe she was drunk and lost?"

Joan laughed. "Auggie and I may have gone to Allen's after the gala."

Arthur stroked her hair. "I figured something like that. Aren't you proud of me for not waiting up?"

"Oh, very," Joan said with a twinkle in her eye. After a few seconds, it dimmed and she looked away. "I'm afraid I can't return the favor, though."

"What do you mean?," Arthur asked, concerned.

"We didn't get that much intel, and we bailed kind of early," Joan admitted, still not looking at him. "We could have stayed longer and been much more thorough."

Arthur cupped Joan's chin and lifted it so she was eye-to-eye with him. "Whatever you have is good enough. I'd rather have you safe than have the killer's name."

Joan's face broke out into a relieved smile. "Auggie said you'd say that."

Arthur smiled and kissed her. "Auggie is a smart guy."

Joan nodded and moved closer to Arthur, hugging him. She kissed his neck and whispered, "If we have the day off, does that mean you have time to make me pancakes?"

Arthur laughed. "I was waiting for you to ask."

He took Joan's hand and pulled her out of bed, appreciatively looking at her body for a few seconds before handing her a pale, silvery-grey nightgown. She slipped it on and then grabbed one of his blue collared shirts from the laundry in lieu of a robe. He took her hand and together they walked out of their room and down the stairs to the kitchen. Joan put on a "lite rock" radio station and she and Arthur started cooking up pancakes to the acoustic sounds of John Mayer and Jack Johnson.

"Do you want some with banana?," Arthur asked Joan as she measured flour. She nodded 'yes' vigorously. He chuckled.

"I don't even know why I asked."

Arthur was standing in front of the stove, flipping pancakes, when Joan came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"My shirtless, sexy husband making me pancakes… not a bad way to start the morning."

He grinned. "Your sexy husband is always happy to serve, but he needs to go get his glasses so he can read the paper."

Joan smiled and took over flipping the last few pancakes as Arthur went upstairs to get his reading glasses. She was just putting the plate of pancakes in the oven so they would stay warm when the doorbell rang. Confused, she closed the oven, placed her oven mitts on the counter, and went to open the front door.

"Annie?"

"Joan, hi," Annie said awkwardly. Dressed in jeans, flats, an emerald-green tee, and a striped cardigan, she didn't look like she was on her way to work. Joan adjusted her nightgown.

"I'm sorry to show up unannounced, but I have something big to tell you," Annie said. Joan nodded and opened the door wider.

"Come in. Arthur is just upstairs."

She led Annie to the living room and Arthur yelled from the stairs.

"Is someone at the door?"

He came into the room wearing his reading glasses, now with a shirt on. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw Annie.

"Annie!," he said, looking at Joan in confusion. "To do what do we owe the pleasure?"

"I'm so sorry to interrupt your morning, but I was in Sydney, working an asset, and I came across some files that had Jai's name on them." Arthur stared at her.

"What asset?"

She bit her lip. "Lena assigned him to me. His name is Simon Fisher. She says he's a master spy and very dangerous, and I think he might be connected to Jai's death."

"Is that originally why she gave you the assignment?"

"No." Annie shook her head. "I didn't even tell her when I made the connection." Annie looked at Joan, as if to say 'I owed it to you to bring this to you first.' Joan nodded, as if to say, 'Thank you. You made the right choice.'

"Annie, what makes you think Simon has something to do with Jai's death?," Joan asked.

Annie took a deep breath. "Well, before we went to Sydney, we spent a few days at Simon's home in London. I did a sweep when Simon was at a meeting one afternoon, and I found a hidden safe. If I didn't know his mother's birthday, I doubt I would have gotten in."

Joan raised her eyebrow and Annie blushed before continuing.

"Anyway, there was a stack of folders with a rubber band around them. The top one said 'Ebony Global.'"

"I've never heard of it," Arthur said, intrigued. Annie nodded.

"That's how they like it. It's an extremely small private security firm, and Simon is a major investor."

"Okay, so they do extra security for billionaires, bodyguards and background checks for paranoid moguls," Joan mused, thinking aloud. "And contract killers?"

"Not officially," Annie said, pulling a piece of paper out of her purse. She handed it to Arthur. "But I found a file titled 'Ursa Minor.' It's the same constellation Simon has tattooed on his back."

Joan raised her eyebrow again and Annie blushed, again.

"It's a division of Ebony Global of about 15 members, Simon included, all highly trained foreign men with dangerous backgrounds. And a list of off-the-book jobs, as well as expense reports, figures…"

"You stole the file?," Arthur asked in awe, reading the list. Annie shook her head.

"No. I took pictures of all the papers with my phone. I can print them somewhere secure whenever we need them." She pulled her phone out of her pocket. "I haven't let it out of my sight since."

"But if Simon is who he says he is, wouldn't he check your phone, or at least bug it?," Joan asked. Annie smiled.

"Oh, he did. He bugged my decoy phone. This one was hidden in a box of tampons," She said, very pleased with herself. She pulled another, identical phone out of her purse. "This one was in my purse."

Joan grinned. "Nice."

Arthur looked up from the list and peered at Annie over the top of his glasses.

"Annie, does Lena know about this yet?"

Annie shook her head. "No. Lena doesn't expect check-ins often, or even for me to be at the office."

Joan smirked. "Well, at least Lena's management style has one benefit." Annie shot her a "play nice" look before clearing her throat and looking back at Arthur.

"Arthur, I have a plan that I think might work."

"Okay, let's hear it," he said, giving Annie his full attention.

"Joan, Auggie, and I can form a task force to figure out what's really going on with Ebony Global. All you have to do is convince Lena to loan me out, and Joan and I can work with Auggie. We'll keep it top secret, just say Joan and I are assisting in an op for OSP. The three of us may be some of the few who want to bring closure to Jai's death, as well as clear any other names out there."

Arthur thought about it. "It's a good start."

"I think it's wonderful, Annie," Joan said with a smile. She turned to her husband and out her hand on his knee. "Honey, I know part of you kind of enjoys that Henry is being blamed, but you and Jai had a good relationship most of the time, and you know he would do it for you."

"Yes, if he hadn't been in the process of stealing your job and screwing me over," Arthur muttered. Annie's eyes widened.

"What?"

Joan brushed it off. "It seems Jai was angling to be head of the DPD, and throw me and Arthur out of the Agency. But I really don't think we should dwell on it. We need to move forward, and solve this horrible murder."

Arthur nodded. "Joan is right. Annie, tomorrow I will start assembling the task force. Talk to Auggie, give clearance to a few OSP agents so they can assist you, talk to Lena… for now, keep your head down and don't talk to Lena. If she calls, give her what you can. But don't mention this."

"Of course," Annie nodded. She picked up her purse and stood up. "Joan, Arthur, I'm sorry again for interrupting your morning."

Joan shook her head. "No, Annie, thank you. We appreciate you bringing this to us."

Arthur and Joan stood up and walked Annie to the front door.

"Oh, Annie, would you like to stay for breakfast?," Arthur asked kindly. He smiled at Joan. "I made Joan's favorite pancakes."

Annie returned the warm smile. "Thank you, but I have some things to do at home. My sister and her family moved to California, so I have to figure out what to do about the house. I think I'm also going to go over to Auggie's apartment." She looked at Joan sadly. "He really hasn't been himself lately."

Joan nodded. "He and I had a nice time last night, but I felt as if he spent all day gathering the physical and emotional energy to enjoy a night out. From what he told me about Parker, I just don't know what to do except let him come around."

Annie nodded. "I normally would give him some space, but I owe him. I've been very absent as of late, and I really should have made more time for him. He's my best friend, and I wasn't there for almost the last month of his life."

Joan sighed. "Well, good luck. We'll talk tomorrow."

Annie nodded and smiled at both of them. "See you tomorrow."

Arthur closed the door behind Annie and turned to Joan. He wrapped his arms around her waist and sighed.

"I know we both want to pretend this whole matter doesn't exist for the next few hours so we can enjoy our day off…."

"… but we both are just itching to get this started," Joan finished for him. She kissed him.

"So what do we do?"

"We enjoy your favorite breakfast and then figure it out," he said, smiling at her. She smiled back.

"Perfect."

xxxx

"I'm sorry, but you can't. I'm insanely busy this morning. I know, Lena. Thank you again.'

Arthur hung up his office phone and rubbed his temples.

"Well, it was just as difficult as expected, but we have the final piece of our task force."

Joan smiled from her chair next to Arthur's desk. She took his hands.

"Thank you, darling."

The next morning, Arthur and Joan sat in his office, pulling together their op. Both dressed in sweaters and jeans, they had arrived at 8 am to work with Annie and Auggie. While Arthur got Lena's official blessing to borrow Annie for a "classified OSP operation," Annie and Auggie set up a HQ of sorts in the OSP office. They had five OSP agents who Auggie trusted to help them, and currently they were working on profiles of all the Ebony Global members.

"Alright, I have to get to OSP," Joan said, standing up and placing a kiss on Arthur's cheek. He smiled.

"Go get 'em, sweetheart," he said. "I'll come by in a few hours!"

Joan left Arthur's office and took the elevator straight to OSP. When she arrived, Auggie was on the computer, headphones on, and Annie was pinning all the printed cell phone pictures of Ebony Global's file on a corkboard. Auggie waved to Joan and then returned to his computer.

"Hey, I recognize that," Joan said, coming up behind Annie and pointing to a picture of Simon's tattoo. Annie turned around and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Yeah, that's Simon's tattoo. Ursa Minor."

"The man Auggie and I saw at the gala had that tattoo on his wrist. I thought it was a diamond, but it's definitely the same," Joan said. Annie led Joan to a laptop and showed her a screen full of pictures.

"These are the members of Ebony Global's special division," she said. "Recognize anyone?"

"Yes…, right there," Joan pointed to the upper right hand corner. "Alexi Koskov." She stared at the picture of the dark, handsome man. She had been right, he was Russian. Annie nodded. She pointed to the picture under Koskov's.

"That's Simon."

"Hmm," Joan nodded. She winked at Annie. "Not too hard on the eyes."

Annie smiled. "Yeah, it's a shame that he's mixed up in this, and so many other bad things. He's actually a pretty good guy. Or at least a good actor."

Joan nodded. "Don't worry, Annie. You are beautiful, and young, and you will find the right guy, one who is not living a double life, or working for a private security company, or whatever else always seems to come up."

Annie laughed. "Thanks, Joan. I appreciate your motherly advice."

"As long as I'm the cool, albeit sometimes strict, mom and Lena's the absentee," Joan said cheerfully, winking at Annie. Annie laughed again and Auggie turned his head towards them.

"Do I hear laughter?"

"Oops," Annie whispered to Joan. Joan giggled.

"Wait, did Joan just giggle? Am I in the right universe?"

Joan walked over to Auggie's desk and put her hands on his shoulders. "Hey, you laugh or you cry, right?"

"What would you girls be crying about?"

"The fact that all these guys are nearly impossible to track down," Annie said. "Never mind get close to. They all have at least 5 aliases, and they can smell a spy from miles away. How are we going to take them down when they're out of reach?"

Auggie thought about it and then held up his hand for a high-five.

"I got it! Someone hit me back, this is getting awkward."

Annie laughed and lamely slapped Auggie's hand. He pumped his fist and then turned to his computer, running his hands across his Braille keyboard in that mesmerizing way of his. Two images popped up on the screen and Annie and Joan both leaned in to get a better look.

"Our fake passports?," Joan asked, confused. The passport photos & info for "Gail Beecham" and "Donna Michaelson" sat side by side on Auggie's computer screen. Joan's picture for her "Donna" passport was at least ten years old, and she couldn't remember the last time she used it.

"Yes," Auggie said. He spun his chair around. "You two are going deep cover. EG's HQ is in London, so you'll need a flight in the next day. If you can't track the men, go straight to the source. The agenda Annie swiped showed a meeting in four days to go over "old business." My guess is that loose ends from Jai's so-called accident are included in that category."

"But how do we get in?," Annie asked. "Alexi has seen Joan, remember? Not to mention the security – cameras, guards…"

"You don't necessarily need to get in," Auggie said. "Maybe you can steal video footage, get a copy of the official minutes, seduce a member… Annie, you're close with Simon. Play it right, and you can distract him long enough for Joan to maybe lift his card."

"Card?"

"Each member of EG has a membership card that doubles as a key card to the building, along with the password and fingerprint scan. I seem to remember Annie having a trick to getting fingerprints, and Joan, you know passwords. Do you remember the time you logged into my Bank of America online account in under a minute?"

Joan grinned. "Yes, I do." Annie looked impressed and Auggie looked very pleased with himself.

"Okay, so it's settled. Now Joan, Annie is right, Alexi can't see you. You'll be behind the scenes, and Annie will the public face of the op, so to speak. Maybe you bump into Simon, ask to meet his friends for drinks, and Joan can rummage through Simon's apartment while you're out?"

Annie and Joan looked at each other.

"Ok," Joan said.

"Let's do this," Annie agreed. She smiled at Joan, who returned the look. Auggie grinned.

"Excellent! You two go home and pack a small bag, be back here in 3 hours for your new, specially encrypted cells, flight information, and to synchronize watches." He smiled at his own witty joke. "Joan, you know where your Donna passport is, right?"

"Yep," Joan said. "I kind of always hoped I'd get at least one more chance to use it."

"Well here's your chance," Auggie said. He put his headphones back on. "Remember ladies, England is cold and rainy this time of year. Annie, no kitten heels."

Annie laughed. "Yes, sir." She and Joan walked out into the hall and turned to each other.

"Meet back here in 3 hours," Joan said. Annie nodded.

"We're gonna make this right, Joan."

"I know," she said. "At least, I hope."

They parted ways, Annie heading to the parking lot and Joan to Arthur's office. She hadn't told Annie or Auggie, but there were people within the Agency who thought Arthur had something to do with Jai's death. She wanted to find out the truth for Jai, but also for her husband. He was always protecting her, but now it was time for Joan to clear Arthur's name.

xxxx

"Joan, I don't like the sound of this."

"Remember when you tried to stop me from going to Mexico City? This conversation isn't any different. I'm going," Joan said, opening a drawer and taking out a few pairs of panties. Arthur had driven her back to the house when she told him the plan, and she knew he had kept quiet, waiting for the perfect moment to protest. It seemed Arthur's perfect moment was when Joan was trying to pack her socks and underwear.

"But the risks… Joan, this is serious. One misstep, and you and Annie are on the run. Provided you can even get to a safehouse without drawing attention, you could be out in the cold for weeks. Literally and figuratively."

"Arthur, I knew the risks the second Auggie suggested it. And I've lived in a safehouse for up to 3 weeks before, I can handle it. Annie too."

She took her 3 warmest sweaters and folded them into her small suitcase. "We have our fake passports, our fake names to book a hotel room under, we have an in with Simon, and we have a folder of documents on the company. By the time Annie and I land in London, we will be experts."

Arthur put his hand on Joan's shoulder and turned her to face him. The look on his face was serious, but not angry.

"And if something goes wrong? I don't want to spend a month wondering when you're going to come home. Grilling Auggie everyday for any sign of your movements, sitting on my hands because this op is unsanctioned and we can't send in backup… I don't want to have to even think if I'll ever see you again, or smell your perfume…."

Joan understood. She put her hand on Arthur's cheek.

"I love you. And you won't have to wonder about anything, because I will be home within the week. I have safe passage home, remember?" She pulled the chain around her neck out from under her gray sweater and smiled. The necklace that Arthur had given her on their last anniversary shone against the cashmere. Arthur smiled, but still looked uneasy.

"And the bottle of my perfume is on the dresser," Joan whispered jokingly, trying to cut the tension. Arthur chuckled.

"Hey, I know it's going to be hard," Joan said, putting her arms around his waist. "But I'll be okay."

Arthur nodded. "Part of me knows that, but the other part… he won't be sleeping until you're next to him again."

Joan's heart ached. She had to be back at OSP, but she really just wanted to stay home, with Arthur. She kissed him one last time before walking out the front door and tossing her small carry-on suitcase in the car and driving back to Langley.

She met Annie in the hallway in front of Auggie's office. Annie had changed into skinny cargo pants, a warm sweater, and converse, and Joan was had added a trench coat and scarf to her jeans and sweater. Annie stuck her head in the office.

"Hey, Auggie, we're here."

"Yeah I know, you're been outside for 6 seconds," he said with a grin. "Come on in, we have to finalize the plan."

Joan just shook her head and laughed, then followed Annie into the office. Auggie handed them each an encrypted cell and a plane ticket.

"Donna and Gail, your flight to London leaves in 3 hours, so you better get down to the airport," he said. "And girls, good luck."

Annie nodded. "Thanks, Auggie." She and Joan turned around, and then Auggie said, "Joan, wait a second." Annie glanced at Joan before heading out into the hallway.

"Joan, I'll meet you out front. We can take my car."

Joan nodded and then Annie closed the door. Joan turned back to face Auggie.

"Arthur wants to be heavily involved with this, it's your call if he is or not."

Joan bit her lip. "He's the DCS, I don't want to draw attention to this op. But whatever he asks for, give it to him. Quietly and cautiously. And please, if anything bad happens, downplay it."

"Joan..." Auggie said, sounding slightly upset. Joan stopped him, putting her hand on top of his.

"Auggie, this is complicated, in so many ways. If Arthur thinks I'm hurt, he'll jump on a plane and everything will be shot to hell."

"Nothing bad will happen," Auggie said reassuringly. Joan nodded. They both knew that neither of them was 100% sure of that, but they both ignored the sinking feeling in the pits of their respective stomachs.

"I hope not. But if it does… Auggie, you know what its like to feel that pain of truly, deeply loving someone, and knowing you can't control what they do." She was trying to avoid explicitly mentioning Parker. "Please, just do what you can."

"I will," Auggie said, nodding. He smiled weakly. "Now get out of here, Donna! You got a plane to catch."

Joan laughed. "See you soon, Auggie."

She and Annie spent the first half an hour of the drive to the airport in silence. Finally, Annie cleared her throat.

"So, pancakes?"

"Yeah," Joan smiled, thinking about the morning before. "Banana pancakes, actually. They were the first meal I made for Arthur when we began dating. He didn't get why anyone would want to put banana in pancakes, and I proved to him that they tasted amazing."

Annie laughed. "That's sweet. You guys have been together for a while, right?"

Joan nodded. "About ten years."

"Wow," Annie said softly. "That's incredible."

Joan nodded. "It hasn't exactly been easy, but it's been worth it. Some things are just worth every single bit of your heart and soul, you know? You need to fight for them until you're blue in the face."

Annie nodded and they continued their drive, going back to the silence. Joan was thinking about Arthur, and how he was probably already hovering over Auggie in OSP.

"Here we are," Annie said, pulling into the long-term parking lot at Dulles airport. She pulled the key out of the ignition and looked at Joan. "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be," Joan sighed. She and Annie were both thinking the same thing: _Here goes nothing._ And also: _screw this up, and we're fucked._

xxxx

The plane landed 8 hours later in London, and the first thing Annie & Joan did was book a room in a small hotel near the airport. They ditched their bags and then spread files out on the bed.

"Okay, so it looks like this is where the meeting will be," Joan said, pointing to a fifth-floor window in a satellite picture of the Ebony Global headquarters. Annie nodded.

"I still don't understand how I can possibly get in there. Simon will immediately steer me away, and neither of us is a new face. Alexi knows you, and Simon knows me."

Joan nodded. "So…. We need a good plan. Not something as simple as disguises, those won't work. What we need is a way to be stealthy, unseen. As if we aren't even there."

A grin crept onto Annie's face and she grabbed her cell to call Auggie.

"I have a plan," she said to Joan as the phone rang. "Auggie, hey."

"Annie, how's London?"

"Cold and wet," Annie said. She looked at Joan. "But I think I have a plan. Can we put cameras in the EG conference room?"

"Like surveillance?"

"Yes. Joan and I realized we need to get in there but be unseen. So what if we snuck in at night, and planted a camera on the wall? Then all we have to do is watch the live feed from our hotel room, and…"

"… and you never have to come in direct contact with any of the Ursa Minor guys. Perfect. I'll put a call in to the London station, work out a protocol for you to pick up the right equipment."

"Thanks."

Annie hung up and Joan nodded approvingly.

"Good work, Annie."

Annie smiled uneasily. "Let's just hope it works."


	3. On The Run

Sorry for taking so long to update! I had a lot going on at school, and then I took a short vacation. Anyway, here is the newest installment! It's a bit short, but I wanted the right cut-off moment. Enjoy & Review! :)

* * *

The next morning, Annie and Joan sat on the bed, watching Ebony Global's meeting on a laptop. They had snuck in the night before and planted a tiny camera on the wall. It hadn't been easy – breaking & entering isn't exactly taught at the Farm – but Joan had more tricks up her sleeve than Annie had expected.

So far, the meeting sounded like boring business talk. Annie was lying on her back, and Joan was doing yoga on the floor next to the bed. Every member had already been accounted for, Alexi and Simon included, so now all they had to do was wait for Jai's name.

"And now onto… some unfinished business," Simon said on-screen. Annie jolted upright and Joan collapsed onto the floor in the middle of downward dog. She scrambled up onto the bed as Annie turned up the volume. They both held their breath as they watched.

"Wilcox has been taken care of, but unfortunately his pesky DPD colleagues won't quit. They want answers," a man across the table from Simon said. Annie flipped open a file and showed a picture to Joan that ID-ed the man as Ivan Romanoff.

"I saw one of them, maybe two, at the gala in DC last week," Alexi said. He grinned. "The hot blonde one is good – she almost convinced me she wasn't CIA. The blind guy tried to play it funny, but I saw right through him."

Joan scowled. Ughh. What a creep.

"Yes, well finding information on Annie Walker hasn't been a picnic either," Simon said. Annie's eye widened and she shook her head in disbelief.

"So he did know all along."

"Well, then it's agreed. Any of those DPD people come poking around again, and they meet with some unfortunate accident, just like Wilcox," Alexis said. He stood up.

"Thank you, gentlemen. The date and time of the next Ursa Minor meeting will be sent to you in the next few weeks."

Annie closed the laptop and stared at Joan.

"So, they did kill Jai. But why?"

Joan shook her head. "I don't know… but they know who we are. We'll have to consult with Auggie and Arthur on how to move forward, but London isn't safe for us anymore. We need to leave."

Annie nodded, and she was about to say something when Joan's phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Joan, where are you?," Auggie said, sounding frantic.

"Our hotel room, why?"

"They're looking for you – police, MI-6, you name it. You need to get out of there, _now_."

"What? Why?"

"Turn on the tv."

Joan picked up the remote and clicked the tv on, eliciting a worried look from Annie. They both gasped.

A security photo of them from inside Ebony Global was being shown on every channel, with a phone number & reward flashing under it.

"Oh my god," Annie said, putting her hand on her heart.

Joan's face was frozen in horror. "Auggie…," she said into the phone.

"You're wanted for $5 million in US dollars," Auggie said grimly. "I have no idea how to get you guys out of this, except the hard way: you need to run."

Annie looked panicked. "What's he saying?," she mouthed to Joan. Joan held up her finger to say "one second."

"Okay… um..," Joan tried to sort through her emotions, but she was flustered.

"Joan, don't worry, I will handle it. Leave your bags, passports, everything else in the room, someone from London station will pick them up. Destroy your phones. You and Annie need to go."

Joan nodded. "Goodbye, Auggie."

She hung up the phone and winced before dropping it on the floor and crushing it with the toe of her boot. She looked at Annie.

"We need to disappear, now."

Annie nodded. She was trying to appear calm, but she was frightened.

"Joan, what's the protocol for this?"

"There is none," Joan said. "We got caught in the middle of an unsanctioned op. We have to figure out a way to get home before our covers are blown."

xxxx

Arthur burst into the OSP offices, immediately startling Auggie, who slipped off his headphones and held his hands up.

"Arthur, we need to stay calm."

"Calm? Auggie, my wife's picture is being flashed all around London with a $5 million dollar reward, you better have a damn good plan to get her out before EG gets to her and Annie."

Auggie nodded. "She and Annie are on the run, Joan knows how to disappear into thin air."

"I don't care if Joan knows how to turn invisible to the human eye, I need her home. The longer she and Annie stay in London, the better the chance they'll get caught."

"Well, we're faced with a problem here. Ebony Global isn't going to pay that reward, they are going to find the girls themselves and hurt them. But if we send London station, it'll send up red flags. And we only have a few hours before all of Langley finds out about this."

Arthur shook his head, obvious frustration all over his face. "So what do we do?"

Auggie sighed. "I don't know."

xxxx

In London, it was late at night, and Annie and Joan were hiding in a cold, damp, abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of London.

"Joan, I'm sorry," Annie said, wringing out her hands. "This is my fault. Sneaking into EG was my idea, and now we're blown."

Joan shook her head and hugged her legs to her chest, trying to stay warm. "No, Annie. The plan wasn't well thought out from the start. We were just trying too hard to bring home a win."

"We were doing it for Jai," Annie said quietly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. Joan nodded.

"Sometimes we get so caught up in doing the right thing that we don't think it through well enough."

"Because good is always supposed to win out in the end," Annie said, nodding. Joan sighed and looked at Annie.

"You want to know something? Arthur begged me not to come to London."

"He did?"

"He was afraid something could go wrong. I think Jai's death combined with Mark Ramsey's last year has put him on edge."

"Well, we're going to get home," Annie said reassuringly, faking a tiny smile. "Somehow."

They were both silent for a few moments, and then Joan yawned.

"You want first shift?"

"No, go ahead," Annie said glumly. "I'll wake you up in a few hours."

Annie woke Joan up 3 hours later, shaking her.

"Whaa..," Joan mumbled, cracking open an eye. "My shift?"

Annie shook her head. "No. I heard voices coming from outside, back corner."

Joan sat up. "We have to go. When did you hear them?"

"2 minutes, maybe. They were moving towards the left side."

Joan stood up, grabbing Annie's hand and pulling Annie after her. The made their way to the back right corner, slipping between a few stacks of crates. Joan did a quick scan in the dark and found a small crack of light a few in front of them. She pointed it out to Annie, who nodded and then stood with her back against the wall next to the door.

Joan carefully slid the creaky warehouse door open, inch by inch, exposing the harshly cold London air and the grey, barely-lit sky. She motioned for Annie to follow her, and they slipped out the door. Joan edged around towards the right side, listening for voices. It was silent for a moment, and then a gunshot echoed through the alley and hit the wall a few feet from Joan. Annie pulled Joan back and they ran down the alley, pulling their jacket hoods up over their heads.

Another bullet whizzed past Annie's head and they heard two voices yelling at each other in French. Joan saw an almost-invisible alley and took a sharp left, pulling Annie with her. They continued running, taking random turns until they reached a slightly populated area. Annie saw a café and pointed it out to Joan. Joan nodded and they entered the café, ordering coffee and a couple pastries.

Once they were sitting in the back of the café, Annie finally exhaled.

"Oh my god."

Joan was still slightly breathless as well. "Good job."

"Thanks."

Their coffee and pastries were brought to the table, and Joan pulled a few Euros out of her jacket to pay the waitress. When she left, Joan tugged on her shirt.

"We need to get new clothes, I've been earing this shirt for 3 days."

Annie nodded. "And then after that?"

Joan sighed and bit her lip. "Well, there's no extraction plan…"

"So… we're screwed," Annie finished. Joan looked uneasy.

"No.. well, maybe. But we'll get out of here, we're both smart enough and clever enough."

Annie nodded, not looking convinced. "Yeah."


	4. Tell The World I'm Coming Home

Sorry I haven't updated in so long! I had a lot going on at school, and then some of the specifics for this chapter were tricky. Therefore, I have no idea how accurate any of this is. But it's okay, you guys can make do. It's _fiction_, people ;) Anyway, enjoy & review! There will be 1 or 2 more chapters after this one.

* * *

Annie and Joan were able to duck into a local shopping mall near closing hours and buy a pair of jeans and a sweater each without causing any attention. They bought some food, and then went looking for another place to hide for the night.

"Why haven't we been recognized?," Annie asked as they walked down an empty street. "Not that I want to be, but…."

"Well, that picture was blurry, and I've tried use my best British accent everywhere we've gone," Joan said, ducking under a broken chain-link fence and into an alley. "But my British accent kind of sucks."

Annie half-smiled, following Joan under the fence. "That's what that was? I thought you just had something in your throat."

Joan turned to Annie and smiled. She appreciated Annie's attempt to lighten the mood. Annie smiled back, and the two of them continued down the alley. An hour later, it was getting dark, and they had walked through back alleys, doubling around and taking random turns until they were sure they weren't being followed. Annie saw an office building with a "For Lease" sign tapped to the door and darkened windows.

"Joan, look –"

Annie's sentence was interrupted by the sound of gunfire. She grabbed Joan's arm and they ran as fast as they could. Joan could tell from the sound of footsteps running after them that there were 3 people, most likely all men. When she took a quick glance back, she saw it was the two men who had been chasing them earlier, and a smaller figure with short curly hair.

Joan saw an opportunity to duck back into the maze of back alleys and dimly-lit side streets, so she took a sharp left, looking over her shoulder to make sure Annie was following her. They took random turns every chance they could, with the footsteps of the 3 shooters not far behind them. Joan was beginning to run out of breath, and she could tell Annie was close to breathlessness too.

Suddenly, Annie veered to the right and jumped onto a fire escape a few feet off the ground. Joan followed her, running up the fire escape as fast as she could.

"Annie," she panted, climbing fast the 8th floor of the building the fire escape was attached to. "What are you doing? We'll get stuck up here."

"They'll run out of bullets at some point, right?," Annie replied, that ambitious glint in her eye. She reached the top of the fire escape and lunged onto the roof, holding her hand out to help Joan up. The three shorts were just a few floors below, and Joan knew they were running pout of options. Annie spun around, looking for a way off the roof. She eyed the building in front on them and looked at Joan, nodding towards the building.

Joan widened her eyes and started to shake her head, but Annie was already walking backwards, giving herself room for a running start. She went about 3 yards back and then began to sprint, racing across the roof until the edge.

Annie jumped and landed on the other roof, landing in a pile and rolling a few feet, She was covered in dirt, and her jeans were ripped, but she was okay. She beckoned for Joan to follow, and Joan heard one of the men yell to his colleagues. They were getting closer, and she knew she had less than a minute for they reached the roof. She took a deep breath, then copied Annie's running start, leaping off the roof. She heard a few shots, but she ignored them, bracing herself before she hit the concrete roof. Annie helped her up and they ran across the roof of the second, much longer building.

Sliding down the fire escape ladder, Annie and Joan ran down the alleys they had come through just hours before, twisting and turning until they had finally lost the 3 shooters. When they finally came to a small neighborhood, it was close to midnight. Annie and Joan walked the streets until they found a small office building. Joan picked the lock, and they slipped inside, finding a second-floor dental office with a few comfy couches in the lobby.

"Annie... about today," Joan whispered, breaking the silence that had started back when they were jumping from roof to roof. She looked the young operative gratefully, smiling warmly. Annie smiled back.

"No problem," she whispered back, squeezing Joan's hand. Joan squeezed back and sat on the floor, legs crossed.

"You sleep first," she said to Annie, who was already stretched out on one of the couches. "I'll wake you in a few hours."

Annie murmured her thanks and Joan grabbed an issue of Elle UK from the coffee table, looking around at the posters of teeth on the walls of the office. Maybe they would get home. Just maybe.

xxxx

"Damn it, why can't we find anything?!," Arthur yelled in frustration. He tossed a folder of papers to the floor of the OSP office. "Not even one call in about that goddamn "wanted" ad flashing on every tv in Europe."

Auggie rubbed his eyes. "I'm not even going to try and be calm about this. I'm too worried to care."

"Worried? I'm going fucking crazy!," Arthur said angrily. He spun around in his desk chair, aiming a sturdy kick at the wall. His foot connected, but caused no damage. He groaned in frustration. "I can't even kick in the damn wall."

"Maybe we should just go over the audio and video one more time," Auggie suggested lamely. He was trying as hard as he could to keep Arthur from spinning out of control, but even he was about to lose it. Arthur sighed.

"Great. Just another wild goose chase."

"It's all we have," Auggie sighed. He was trying to contain his anger, but he felt fear more than anything else. Annie and Joan were out there in the cold, and he refused to lose or let down his two best friends. They were all he had.

Arthur focused on video and Auggie focused on audio, starting their 28th time going over the meeting Annie and Joan had recorded. Arthur was about to bang his head onto the keyboard in defeat when he noticed something. Something big.

"Auggie, I think I found something."

xxxx

The next morning, Annie woke Joan up. They had traded off halfway through the night, but it was close to 6 am and they needed to leave before people started arriving. Joan was tying her shoes when Annie sat down next to her, grinning.

"What?," Joan asked. She chuckled. "You decide your true calling is dentistry?"

Annie shook her head, more playfully than a spy on the run should. "I know how we're going to get home."

Joan's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yep," Annie smiled. She held up the envelope from the inside of Joan's jacket where they had been keeping the money they had left. "We have enough for two train tickets. We can take the next train to France, and then from there get in contact with Langley."

Joan smiled. "I have something even better: a contact in Brussels who can come pick us up and give us safe passage home." She touched the necklace Arthur had given her 5 months ago for their anniversary. She was going to see her navy boy again. Annie grinned.

"Well, then what are we waiting for? Next stop on the runaway train: Brussels!"

xxxx

Arthur and Auggie hadn't left OSP in 2 days. Besides a slice or two from the pizzas Barber ordered, they hadn't eaten. And they certainly hadn't slept. It was about 10 pm when Barber left, with a defeated, "Sorry we didn't get any closer today, guys."

Arthur had come up on a lead the day before, but they had no evidence, it was all speculation. He stared at the computer screen, his eyes wide and watering behind his glasses.

"You're lucky you can't actually see the computer screen," Arthur mumbled to Auggie. 'These damn screens get brighter with every new model, I swear."

Auggie just sighed. "Yeah."

"Arthur?"

Arthur looked up, taking off his reading glasses. Auggie's head whipped towards the door.

Joan and Annie stood in the doorway, their jeans ripped and their eyes tired. But they were alive. Joan looked relieved and happy, a smile forming on her face when she saw Arthur. He stood up, and she ran to him, throwing herself into his arms. Annie pulled Auggie out of his chair and hugged him, as he whispered in her ear.

Arthur captured Joan's lips in his, kissing her like it had been years since he saw her. She kissed back, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding his body as close to hers are she could.

"I was so scared I lost you," Arthur whispered, breathing normally again. He felt like he hadn't exhaled once since Joan left. Joan kissed him again.

"I told you I'd be home. You can't get rid of me, Arthur Campbell. 9 years ago, we did that whole "until death do us part" thing, remember?"

Arthur just laughed and kissed his wife again. "Yes, yes I do."

Realizing that Annie and Auggie were still in the room, Joan and Arthur broke apart. Joan ran over to hug Auggie, and Annie even gave Arthur a little hug. Joan resumed her place in Arthur's arms, and he smiled at Annie and Auggie.

"I think we all deserve a break. Debrief Monday?"

Annie nodded, pulling Auggie's hand.

"C'mon, let's go to Allen's."

They all said their goodnights, and then Arthur and Joan walked arm in arm to the car, with Joan recounting some of the crazy things they had done, things she hadn't done since she was a field op. Arthur smiled and hung on every word, happier than words could describe now that Joan was home and safe.


	5. Heavy In Your Arms

One chapter left! Sorry this took so freakin' long, school & life had been hectic... but I promise this chapter is worth the wait! :) I also threw my fave book in there, fyi. Enjoy & review!

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"Ughh, I need a shower," Joan said when they got home. She tugged on her hair. "I'm disgusting."

Arthur smiled. "Lucky for you, I haven't been home in 2 days, so I need a shower too." Joan grinned.

"Oh, which reminds me..," Arthur said, opening Joan's car door for her. "London station called, they have your bags. They'll be mailed in the next few days."

Joan nodded. "Good. I don't know if we had any sensitive info besides the passports, but better safe than sorry."

Arthur nodded, then surprised Joan by sweeping her up into his arms.

"Arthur!," she shrieked, smiling. "What are you doing?"

"I'm acting like a goofy newlywed with my beautiful wife, who I was afraid I was never going to see again," he said, kissing her. She kissed back, and the second they were in the front door, she slid out of his arms and began to run down the hall and up the stairs to their bedroom. Arthur laughed and set his things down, then ran after her, chasing her into their bedroom. When he arrived at the bathroom door, he heard water running and saw Joan's dirty clothes strewn about the floor. He grinned and shed his clothes, opening the shower door and wrapping his arms around his wife.

Joan smiled and kissed his arm, letting the hot water envelope them for a few minutes before turning around to face her husband, kissing him with even more passion than before, if that was even possible.

When they got out of the shower, Joan tied a towel around herself and began hunting for her comfiest pair of pajamas.

"Sweetheart, aren't you hungry?," Arthur asked her as he put on his boxers and a clean black t-shirt. She nodded.

"Yes. My gosh, I don't think Annie and I have eaten since yesterday."

"What do you want? Pizza? Chinese?"

"Yes," Joan said with a smile. She kissed him. "All of it."

He chuckled and put on a pair of jeans. "I know a few places that are open this late. Think you can handle half an hour without me?"

"It will be hard," she admitted, pulling him to her for one more kiss. "God, I've missed you."

"Mhmm," Arthur nodded, kissing her neck. He finally tore himself away. "Okay, I'll be back before you even have time to miss me."

Joan nodded and waited for the sound of the car backing out of the driveway before continuing her pajama hunt. Ever since Jai's accident, she was jumpy when starting the car. Arthur had driven them to work every day for 2 weeks after it happened, Joan didn't even want to put the key in. It wasn't like her to worry over small things, but what happened had just put her on edge.

She found a pair of comfy gray jersey pajama pants and a Penn State t-shirt, and pulled them on. Then she put on some Frank Sinatra and brushed her hair, savoring how clean she felt. There was nothing like the smell of shampoo after 4 days without a shower.

When she finished brushing her hair, she grabbed a book off her nightstand and took it downstairs to read so she could be there when Arthur got home.

Joan was on page 17 of The Beautiful and Damned when she thought she heard a creaking noise coming from the garage. Had Arthur come home without her noticing? It wouldn't be the first time she was completely consumed by a Fitzgerald book.

"Arthur?"

The noise stopped, and Joan put her book down, confused. She stood up, taking a few steps towards the kitchen.

"Hello?"

Joan was about to flick the dining room lights on when she felt a hand on her mouth. She tried to scream, but the arm the hand belonged to wrapped around her neck, drawing her close to her attacker.

"Welcome home, Joan," Lena whispered darkly, her breath hot on Joan's neck. "You got in just a few hours before I did – if it wasn't for that goddamned Annie Walker, you'd still be in London… or maybe you'd be dead."

The final piece clicked into place in Joan's mind and she gasped, but it was muffled. Lena laughed.

"Well, I guess it doesn't matter. You'll be dead soon anyway."

Joan's eyes widened and fear took over her mind, numbing her. Before she could think of a way to get out of Lena's grip, she felt the cold, hard barrel of a gun in her side. She started to squirm, but not thrash. Lena just laughed again and moved the gun to Joan's chest. Joan frantically tried to remember if she had heard Lena click the safety off or not.

Using all the strength she had left, Joan dragged herself to the ground, knocking her and Lena off their feet. The gun slid a few feet away, and the second they were off balance, Joan scrambled to get up. She managed to run a few steps before Lena grabbed her ankles and pulled her back down. With her elbow, Joan aimed a solid Krav Maga jab to Lena's face, breaking her nose. Lena grunted angrily and pulled Joan towards her, kicking her in the stomach.

The kick was all Lena needed to weaken Joan for a few seconds, long enough to drag her up off the floor and pin her against the kitchen wall. Lena held Joan's chin in her hand, squeezing her cheeks together so Joan couldn't talk.

"You're going to regret that," Lena said, blood gushing out of her nose. "I'm going to kill you, and then when your fucking son-of-a-bitch husband gets home, I'll kill him too. It will look like Annie did it, of course. That blind tech op will never forgive her – by the time she's dead, no one will care."

Joan's eyes widened. "Don't worry, I'll leave your techie alone," Lena whispered. "I don't really give a shit about him. Not like he could ever track me down once you and Walker are gone."

Joan braced herself for what she knew was coming next. Lena reached for the gun, which she had re-holstered after Joan knocked it away, and pushed the barrel against Joan's chest, right under her heart.

"Just give me a few more seconds to enjoy this," Lena whispered, sending shivers down Joan's spine." She backed up a few paces, still holding Joan at arm's length. She clicked the safety off, and Joan squeezed her eyes shut. This was it.

BANG. A gun fired, but Joan didn't feel a thing. She opened her eyes and saw Lena in a crumpled pile in front of her, blood pooling out of her chest. Joan looked up, her face frozen in horror, and saw Arthur standing in the kitchen doorway, lowering his gun.

"Arthur!"

Joan stepped over Lena's body and wrapped herself in Arthur's arms. He kissed her hair and whispered, "You're okay. It's all gonna be okay."

Suddenly, Joan felt weak. She wobbled and then her legs gave out. Arthur held her as she slid to the floor, tears streaming down her face as waves of pain washed over her.

"Joan? Joan, what is it?" Arthur was scared and confused. Realization dawned on his face as he saw the dark spot growing on Joan's pants, right above her left hip.

"Arthur…" she whispered, her voice hoarse. Her eyes and cheeks were glistening with tears. "I feel so… there's so much pain… I…"

"Joan?!," Arthur cupped Joan's face in his hands, stroking her cheek. "Joan, baby? Can you hear me?"

Joan's eyelids fluttered closed, her face looked pale.

"Joan? Joan!"

xxxx

Three hours later, Arthur, Annie, and Auggie sat in the waiting room of the hospital, waiting for updates on Joan. When Arthur had shot Lena, her finger had tensed up on the trigger, and Joan had gotten shot in the abdomen as Lena went down. Arthur had called 911, then Auggie and Annie, and together they had spent the last 2 hours waiting. And waiting. Joan had been rushed to surgery the second the ambulance pulled up to the ER, and Annie's little red car had pulled up just minutes after.

Annie handed Arthur a paper cup of coffee and sat down next to him. Auggie sat across from them, his head in his hands.

"Arthur, she's going to be okay," Annie whispered. She put her hand on his shoulder. "She's strong."

"I shouldn't have left her alone," he muttered, wringing out his hands. "It's all my fault."

"No, it's not," Annie said soothingly. "Don't say that."

"Arthur Campbell?"

Auggie's head shot up, and Annie and Arthur raised their heads to see a kind-looking male nurse with a clipboard.

"Your wife is out of surgery. She's asleep, but you can see her if you want to. Along with her gunshot wound, she had a few broken, but there's nothing we can do to heal them until she wakes up."

"When will she wake up?," Auggie asked, speaking for the first time since he and Annie had arrived at the hospital.

"Hopefully soon," the nurse said with a smile. "There's no brain damage or anything for us to think she will be comatose. But this surgery is very hard on the body, so she may need some rest."

Arthur nodded. "Thank you."

He stood up and looked at Annie. "Thank you for being here."

Annie nodded and looked over at Auggie, who looked very sad and lost. "We'll stay until she wakes up."

Arthur smiled slightly and stood up, walking down the hall to Joan's room. Annie got up and sat down next to Auggie, lacing her fingers through his.

"Hey, she's gonna be okay."

"I know, I just…. Something doesn't fit. There's something we missed. And if I had found it, I could have prevented this."

Annie shook her head. "No, you couldn't have. This is not your fault, and it is not Arthur's."

Auggie sighed. "Well, no matter whose fault it is, Joan doesn't deserve to be lying in that hospital bed. "

Arthur sat beside Joan's bed in a chair one of the nurses had pulled up for him. Someone had pulled her hair into a messy ponytail, and all of the dried blood had been wiped from her face and hands. She was pale and still, eerily so. He held her hand in his, watching her chest move up and down slowly as she breathed, with the help of a machine beside her bed. He had been alarmed when he first saw it, but the nurse assured him it was just to facilitate the flow of oxygen throughout her body so she could sleep better.

He had been there for about 6 hours when Annie crept in. She pulled her gray cardigan sweater close to her body and shuddered.

"It's cold in here," she whispered. Arthur turned and saw her. He nodded.

"Yeah."

"How is she?" Annie leaned against the foot of the bed, looking at Joan's pale and fragile sleeping body. Arthur sighed.

"They say she'll be fine once she wakes up, but no one will tell me when that will be. There's no brain damage, and she is breathing, but with help."

"She looks so small," Annie breathed, her voice sad. "I wish I could do something for her."

"Me too," Arthur said, leaning forward to place a kiss on his wife's cheek. He turned back to Annie and frowned, the picture of a broken man. "But all we can do is wait."

And wait they did. For 2 more days, Joan slept and Arthur went crazy. Auggie refused to leave, and Annie stayed with him. They had perfected the art of sleeping soundly in the stiff chairs of the hospital waiting room. Every time a nurse or doctor told Arthur he needed to leave Joan's room, he played the CIA card and they shut up.

The same doctors checked on Joan every few hours, looking for any indication of when she might wake up. They tripled-checked that there was no brain damage keeping Joan asleep. And every time, they came to the conclusion that all Arthur could do was wait for his wife to wake up.

"Arthur?," Annie asked Tuesday night, entering the hospital room. "I brought you a cup of coffee, and a sandwich." She placed a tray with the food and coffee on the table next to Joan's bed, knowing Arthur wouldn't eat it but hoping she was wrong. "Please, eat."

Arthur just shook his head. He looked like shit. There was dark stubble covering his jaw and cheeks, his hair was dirty, and he had been wearing the same clothes for days. Dark circles and large bags under his eyes showed the lack of sleep he had gotten.

Annie sighed and sat on the edge on the bed, looking Arthur straight in the eye.

"Sitting here blaming yourself isn't going to change anything.," she said, firmly but kindly. "Some things just take time."

"It's been three days," Arthur said sadly, his anger gradually slipping away. "I just want her back."

Arthur had spent the last few days thinking about all the fights he and Joan had, all the times the Agency had come between them. The nights ending in broken plates, complete silence, or him sleeping on the couch.

Did they really spend all that time and energy fighting over such useless things? Pulling rank on each other, playing games that neither wanted to play? Even though those fights had become less frequent in the last year, it still felt like a waste of time. A waste of their life together.

Arthur looked back at Joan, watching her eyelashes flutter and her chest rise. Then he turned back to Annie. They looked at each other silently for a few moments, then Arthur stared at the wall.

"Arthur." Annie's hand shot out and grabbed his arm. "Did you see that?"

"What?"

"Joan.." Annie said, getting up from her chair and taking Joan's hand in hers. "She moved her arm."

Arthur jumped up and put his hand on Joan's cheek, stroking her skin.

"Joan, honey? Can you hear me? Move your arm again if you can."

The room was still as Annie and Arthur both held their breath. After 45 seconds, Arthur's face fell.

And then, like a miracle, Joan squeezed Annie's hand. Her eyelashes started to flutter, and she cracked her right eye open.

"Arthur?"

Her voice was raspy and cracked, but it was still her voice. Saying his name, after all these days of waiting.

Annie grinned and Arthur's face broke out in relief. He knelt down beside the bed and kissed her cheek.

"Oh, honey, you're okay. I'm so glad you're okay."

Annie smiled at Joan and Arthur. "I'll give you guys a minute." She stepped out into the hallway to find Auggie, and Arthur kissed Joan again.

"Oh, I was so worried."

"What happened?," Joan asked, opening her other eye. She sounded as if she was forcing the words out, as if she barely had enough energy to speak.

"Lena shot you. But don't worry, she's dead now."

"You killed her?"

"Yes," Arthur nodded, kissing her forehead. Joan smiled weakly, then closed her eyes again.

"I feel… very… weak…" she trailed off, wincing and shifting her body slightly. She took a deep breath. "Arthur, it all hurts."

"You have a few broken ribs, honey. The doctors said they couldn't be fixed until you woke up. "

"Ohh," she frowned. "I hate hospitals."

"I know, darling. We'll get you out as soon as we can."

Annie stepped back into the room with Auggie on her arm.

"Joan?," he asked worriedly. Joan smiled and opened her eyes. She tried to sit up, but it hurt too much.

"Auggie," she croaked out, grinning. "Hey, come here."

Annie led him to the bed and Joan took his hand. He grinned.

"I'm so glad you're okay."

"Thanks," she whispered. Arthur handed her a cup of water that Annie had just handed to him.

"You just had to go out in style, huh?," Auggie joked. Joan laughed weakly and nodded.

Arthur and Annie smiled at each other, and they all sat there for hours, making small talk and laughing. Arthur couldn't tear his eyes away from Joan; even with her deathly pale skin and her cracked lips, she looked beautiful.


	6. The Resolution

Two weeks later, Joan was feeling much better. She could walk on her own, eat normal food, and breathe easily. Further x-rays and examinations the day after she woke up revealed that not only did she break 5 ribs and have a gunshot wound above her left hip, but she also had a severely bruised larynx and a sprained wrist. And of course, a lovely array of cuts and scrapes on her face. They made her stay in the hospital for 4 more days after she woke up, bringing her hospital time to a full week. By the time she got home, Joan couldn't even look at herself. Aside from all the injuries, she had lost almost 15 pounds and her lips looked like parchment paper.

But now, she looked like a totally different person that the pale version of her with cracked lips and greasy hair from the hospital. Her blonde hair and was shiny and healthy, all the cuts on her face had healed, she had a bandage wrapped around her wrist and gauze covering the bullet wound. In 2 more weeks, the coverings would be removed and all that would be left of that horrific night would be a scar. She was no longer frail.

Joan ran her fingers through her wavy hair, then sighed. She was sitting on her and Arthur's bed, because he had insisted she stay home and recover until he deemed her healthy enough for work. It was 3 in the afternoon, and she had already watched 3 "Best of SNL" specials on VHS and both _Legally Blonde_ movies. Annie and Auggie were coming over for dinner, and along with Arthur, they promised to fill her in on the meeting today that officially wrapped up the whole Simon-Lena-Ebony Global- Jai's death business.

She closed her eyes and listened to the breeze blowing through the open bedroom windows, softly rustling the curtains. Because of her pain meds, sleep came easily, and she was fast asleep in ten minutes.

"Joan?"

Arthur sat on the edge of the bed, his hand on Joan's thigh. He smiled down at her.

"Hey, baby."

"Hey," she mumbled drowsily, smiling at him. She rubbed her eyes. "What time is it?"

"7:30," he said, leaning down to kiss her. "Annie and Auggie are downstairs, ordering takeout. "

She smiled and he gently scooted her over, lying down beside her on the bed.

"I called you to check-in 2 hours ago and you didn't pick up," he whispered.

"Sorry," she replied, a tiny smile on her face. "I was sleeping. But I told you that you don't have to do that. You changed all the locks and got a new security system. I'm fine."

"I will always worry about you, because you are my wife and I love you," Arthur said, kissing her again. She wrapped her arms and around his neck and leaned into him.

"Mhmm, I love you too," she whispered. "Now how about I change and we go downstairs?"

Arthur nodded. "Sounds good."

Joan changed out of her pajamas and into yoga pants (jeans were uncomfortable on her scar and too big on her, due to how much weight she lost in the hospital) and a clean maroon t-shirt with a gray sweater over it.

Arthur walked her down the stairs with one hand on her shoulder, even though she insisted she could walk just fine. She couldn't stretch or do yoga, which made her time at home even more boring, but she could handle a staircase.

Annie grinned when she saw Joan, even though they had seen each other a few days before, and greeted her with a hug. Joan hugged her back, still eternally grateful for all Annie had done for her in London.

"Auggie, come here!," she exclaimed with a laugh. He was standing awkwardly next to the dining room table, and he smiled when he heard her voice.

She wrapped her arms around him and they stood there for a minute, holding each other.

"I'm glad you're okay," he whispered, sounding as if he was about to choke up. She nodded and hugged him tighter. It was unspoken, but she knew that Auggie would have flown to London and hunted them down if he could have.

"Okay," she said with a smile as they broke apart. "Let's all stop being so morose, huh? Annie, tell me how the meeting went."

Annie and Arthur shared a look, because they knew that was the first thing Joan would say. They four of them relocated to the couch, where Arthur pulled Joan into his arms. She leaned against his chest and smiled.

"Lena and Simon were working together to bring Jai down, because he discovered that Lena was an FSB double. Lena knew you were in London, because she was tracking Annie's 'Gail Beecham' passport. When she saw that you two were going to be in London the same day as the Ebony Global meeting, she had you followed and discovered that you were bugging the conference room. She was afraid that her cover would be blown so she sent some goons to get rid of you."

Joan nodded. "I realized on the way home that Lena was one of the people shooting at us. I recognized the way she moved, but it didn't click until hours later."

"It took me and Arthur a lot of rewinding, but we noticed the back of Lena's head in the footage you guys got. She knew the camera was there, so she tried to hide her face. Her plan was to go along with the meeting, and then communicate her plan to the other members of Ebony Global outside of HQ," Auggie said.

"So, Simon is in custody, and will be taken to a high-security prison in the UK," Arthur said. "As for the other EG members, we have teams tracking them down, to ensure your and Annie's safety, as well as anyone else from OSP or the DPD."

Joan sighed. "So it's finally all over?"

Arthur nodded and kissed the top of her head, smiling at Annie and Auggie. "Yes, it is."

xxxx

Joan stood in front of the full-length mirror on the back of her and Arthur's bedroom door in her underwear, counting the scars. Almost everything had healed, but she still had a few nasty bruises. The worst was under her breasts, smack dab in the middle of her chest. The purple-y splotch was from Lena's gun, and she could still feel the barrel, hard and cold. It still scared her, and she was not one to scare easily.

Next she examined her abdomen. The dressings had been taken off, and her skin puckered along a neat row of stiches just above her left hip. A month later, and all that was left were the scars. Her stomach was flat, not just from her years of Krav Maga and yoga, but from the weight lost in the hospital. She could see some of her ribs, and her collarbone was much more pronounced than it used to be.

"Honey, what are you doing?"

Joan turned around and saw Arthur, standing in the bathroom doorway with his toothbrush in hand.

"Surveying the damage," she said softly, turning back to the mirror and staring at her body, her gray underwear sagging slightly and the band of her matching bra stopping right before her bruise. Her hair was long and straight, falling over her shoulder in a sexy bedhead way. Any other person would look at themselves like this and think they looked like a supermodel, but all Joan saw were her imperfections and scars.

Arthur put his toothbrush down and rinsed out his mouth, then walked over to the mirror and wrapped his arms around Joan's waist.

"You know what I see? A fighter. A strong, beautiful woman who isn't afraid of anything."

Joan nodded, but didn't look convinced. "Maybe I'm not as strong as everyone thinks."

"Well, I think that scars show that you are stronger that whatever or whoever tried to hurt you," Arthur said, kissing her hair. Joan gave him a half-smile.

"I thought you were excited about returning to work!," he said with a smile, opening the closet and looking for a sweater to wear with his jeans. He and Joan had decided to dress casual, in case she wanted to go home. Unless every nation in the world attacked Virginia, Arthur would go with her. Maybe even if Virginia was attacked.

She nodded. "I am. I'm sick of sitting around the house alone, playing Words with Friends with Auggie and talking on the phone to my sisters. As much as I love them, telling them I got shot was a bad idea."

"Katherine called, and I had to explain why we hadn't been home in a week. When you forget to call her for her birthday, she notices."

Joan laughed. She really loved her 3 sisters, but it was hard to maintain relationships with them and do her job at the same time. She had read them all in years ago, but it just caused her to be treated even more like the baby of the family. Which she actually wasn't, Katherine was younger than her.

Joan got dressed, pulling on a royal blue sweater and a pair of worn jeans. Her bullet wound was still tender, so she wrapped a bandaged around her hips before putting on her jeans. The extra padding from the bandage caused them to fit perfectly, which made her happy.

"Is that a smile?," Arthur asked, with a twinkle his his eye. She smiled a bit brighter and nodded, then turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Thank you for being so amazing," she said, smiling fully now. "I love you."

"I love you too," Arthur said, kissing her. She pulled him closer and kissed him until she was breathless. Arthur ended it with a tiny kiss on the top of her nose, then handed her her bag from the floor.

"Ready?"

She nodded, and Arthur took her free hand in his and they walked down the stairs and to the car, hand in hand. And this time, they would both come home.

* * *

I hope you guys liked this story! At the end, I'm imagining Joan looking like she did in season 1 - well, like 1x04. Long straight hair, sweater and pants, casual and fresh and pretty. That felt like an important detail to add in...

Anyway, Thank you so much for reading! :)


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